Hunter Horsley links corporate power consolidation to crypto demand.

The CEO of Bitwise Asset Management, Hunter Horsley, has suggested that the economic policies of the Trump administration could have a major impact on the cryptocurrency sector.

In a recent tweet, Horsley noted that the potential deregulation of mergers and acquisitions could allow major companies like Google or Amazon to expand even further through strategic acquisitions. M&As refer to the consolidation of companies, either through the merging of businesses or the purchase of one company by another. This process often helps corporations achieve economies of scale, expand market share, or acquire critical assets.

Horsley argued that this concentration of power could drive the adoption of decentralized systems, aligning with the core tenet of cryptocurrency: the skepticism toward centralized organizations. He believes that as large corporations gain more control, the demand for cryptocurrencies—designed to offer an alternative to such institutions—could grow.

Corporate behemoths like Google and Amazon are becoming increasingly interested in blockchain technology and digital assets as they look for ways to enter the crypto markets. One example of a blockchain-related service that Amazon Web Services has introduced is Amazon Managed Blockchain, which enables companies to create and oversee scalable blockchain networks. With this action, Amazon establishes itself as a major force in the expanding enterprise blockchain market.

By establishing strategic alliances with prominent blockchain initiatives and participating in campaigns to incorporate blockchain technology into its cloud infrastructure, Google has also increased its presence in the cryptocurrency sector. Blockchain-as-a-service is now available on Google Cloud, allowing companies to create and implement decentralized apps.

These initiatives demonstrate how major companies are using blockchain technology to diversify their business models while leveraging traditional M&As to expand their reach, thereby further driving the adoption of decentralized systems.

Horsley’s statement comes amid a major rebound in the cryptocurrency market, following Donald Trump’s recent re-election. Trump’s victory has been welcomed by many in the cryptocurrency industry, given his pro-business stance and policies that are seen as supportive of digital assets and blockchain technology. These policies have fueled a bullish trend in the market, with experts attributing much of the surge to a more favorable regulatory approach under Trump’s administration.

Since Trump’s election win, the cryptocurrency market has seen notable growth, with the biggest example being Bitcoin which surged from approximately $69,000 on Nov. 8, 2024, to over $100,000 in early December.

This increase has been largely driven by political shifts and the anticipation of loosened regulations, which experts believe will create a more conducive environment for digital assets.

Experts also believe this rise is driven by the political shift and the potential loosening of regulations, which may create a more favorable environment for digital assets.

Horsley is the CEO of Bitwise, an investment firm that has exclusively focused on cryptocurrency investments for the past seven years. The company offers a range of products including crypto-focused funds, ETFs, and others, designed to provide investors exposure to the crypto and Web3 markets.

According to Horsley, the influence of major market players—along with regulatory changes—could shape the future of both digital assets and traditional financial systems in 2025, making this an exciting time for both M&A activity and the cryptocurrency sector.

Cryptocurrencies remained on edge last week as Bitcoin struggled to move above the key resistance at $100,000. 

The recent gains could accelerate this week as investors move back to the office after the Christmas and New Year break and as Donald Trump’s inauguration nears. So, here are some of the top cryptocurrencies to watch this week, including Ethereum Name Service, Aptos, and Flare.

Ethereum Name Service

Ethereum Name Service (ENS) — the biggest domain registrar in the crypto industry — isone of the top cryptos to watch this week. The network will unlock 1.46 million ENS tokens valued at over $52.79 million to contributors and the community. These unlocks are part of the monthly releases that will go on until November this year.

The ENS price soared to a high of $50.5 in December and then retreated by about 28% to a low of $30.47. That was a notable level since it was the highest swing in March last year. It has remained above the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages.

Ethereum Name Service token’s outlook is bullish because it remains above key averages and has formed a break-and-retest pattern. If this pattern continues, the next point to watch will be its 2024 high of $50.50.

Flare 

Flare (FLR), a popular Ethereum Virtual Machine, will be another crypto to watch as it unlocks tokens worth $47.6 million. These tokens will be notable because they will represent about 3.2% of the float. 

The daily chart shows that the Flare token has formed a combination of a falling wedge pattern and a bullish flag. A wedge comprises two falling and converging trendlines, which are nearing their confluence level. 

Flare is also supported by the 50-day moving average. Therefore, it will likely rebound, and possibly retest the important resistance at $0.0325, its highest level on June 5.

Aptos

Aptos (APT) is another coin to watch this week as it conducts its monthly token unlocks.

The native token of the Aptos blockchain will release 11.31 million tokens, which will be allocated to the community, core contributors, investors, and the foundation. Aptos will continue with these monthly unlocks until September 2032.

The Aptos network is doing well. Its locked value has risen to over $1.07 billion, and its stablecoins valuation moved to $646 million. Some of the top players in the ecosystem are Aries Markets, Echo Protocol, Thala, and Echelon Market. 

On the daily chart, the APT token has rebounded in the past few days after forming a falling wedge pattern. It has retested the key support at $10 and is above the ascending trendline connecting the lowest swings since Aug. 5.

Therefore, the coin will maintain its uptrend if it is above the ascending trendline.

The Indian government stated in a recent declaration to Lok Sabha that there is no fixed timeline for the rollout of the comprehensive set of regulatory guidelines for virtual assets.

The government’s response followed queries posed by two Members of Parliament on what steps were being taken to set up a structured regulatory framework along with an expected timeline for such regulations.

Although the administration noted that it consulted with industry stakeholders and relevant international organizations both formally and informally, it asserted that policy efforts on VDA are needed globally in order to avoid regulatory arbitrage to ANI. India seeks to have effective regulation of borderless crypto assets emerge only through deep international cooperation. 

As taxation on VDA-related income already exists and with VDA transactions brought under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act since March 2023, the government said crypto assets are borderless and thus require international cooperation to prevent regulatory arbitrage. The adoption of the “G20 Roadmap on Crypto Assets” during India’s G20 Presidency brought forth the pressing need for collaborative action at the global level while urging all jurisdictions, especially emerging economies, to develop risk-sensitive regulation.

However, challenges linger as India navigates the path of innovation and investor protection alongside economic strength and financial stability. Given that VDAs transcend borders, the investor protection framework is seen as lacking without robust international cooperation. A clear regulatory timeline leaves market participants with clarity to contend with, as policies rooted in national interest as well as shifting global consensus about how to regulate digital assets continue to take shape.

These latest developments uphold a rising vulnerability in India’s quickly changing crypto sector. While it leads many countries in grassroots digital asset adoption, its popularity has also put it at the top of the list for many fraudsters.

The Andhra Pradesh scam, the most recent in a string of high-profile crypto-related frauds, fits a mold that has emerged elsewhere this year in India, where the lure of appealing monthly returns and aggregates framed as affiliated to reputable exchanges have brought investors from all backgrounds into elaborate enterprises.